How do I soften my seat?

[Rebecca1969]

I was cantering this weekend and doing really well, best canter I've had since I got back into riding. My instructor asked me to soften my seat. How do I do this? My daughter said that my rear was glued to the saddle(normally it's flying out of the saddle). I guess I got side tracked and forgot to ask her.

[Amanda22]

maybe try and put more weight in your feet?

[cvb]

at the risk of being accused of not taking this seriously - Amanda she said *seat* not *feet* !

Ok. Now I am going to assume you are sitting somewhere at a computer reading this. I want you to tense up your bottom - go on, really tight - hold it. Hold it. Hold it.

Now let go.

Feel the difference ?

Now do something else for me. Tense it all up like before - but while it is tense, try moving something e.g. move a leg, move both legs, try moving your back... not easy is it ?

This is taking the extreme to try and show you - but even a small tension, in just one part, can block movement.

When you "release" the tension, you don't suddenly turn into a jellyfish and become a blog - you can still sit in the chair with good posture, move, turn, fold, move a leg, both legs. But you do it from a soft seat.

Make sense ?

[Rebecca1969]

Wow, perfect sense. Thank you so much. So glad I asked. I know you are right cause I do tense up even though I felt pretty secure. Glad I learned something new today while at work!:)

[KateWooten]

ooh - much better answer than I was going to offer .... which was ... ok, apologies in advance .....


you could try one of those little wooden bumpy hammer things that people use to tenderize meat ... you know, and have someone you know well pummel your seat a bit for you .... :eek: .... :p

[entreat]

my suggestion was to eat more - make my seat *really* soft!

[Wally]

I hate it when instructors come out with nevulous commands like "soften your seat" "sit deep" and stuff like that. They should use words that we can associate part of our bodies with and actions we can actually carry out.

I suspects she wants more fluid movememt from you. I would suggest you read Heather Moffett's "Enlightenend Equitation" where she goes into plain explaination on how different parts of your body need to react with the horse to move with him in a dynamic and harmonious way to give the observer the illusion of utter stillness in the saddle......you are working really hard, but you will be moving with the horse.

Anyone who has ever seen Hether ride will know what I mean.

[Skib]

I do so agree with Wally. This is language - which is meant to help but becomes a challenge in itself.
Sitting softly on a horse, I believe, does depend on the shape and size of your bottom. I have a fat bottom and sit pretty comfy on a horse. Whereas Heather is slim and markets a seat protector.

My RI is skinny slim. She doesn't use a seat protector. She doesn't use the word "soft". But "supple"?
Forget the flesh. If every joint as you ride is flexible and mobile, then your body wont restrict the movement of the horse. Soft hands may be as important as a soft seat. Stiffening any part of your body is going to cause you to stiffen other parts too.
Rather than list the movements to make, my RI gives none. I personally find the best way to sit smoothly to canter, is to do nothing but breath softly and "allow" the movement. Counting the steps of the horse helps.
However, once you get the hang of that, you can add resistance when you need it. Using your back and shoulders and thighs to limit or slow the canter under you. Bracing and stiffening (not allowing) will provide your brakes.

You probably sat smoothly in your lesson exactly because you weren't trying to do anything? And that's why you cant remember how you managed it? Being rather old and vague, I think a blank mind is often a help when learning to ride.

[Wally]

I had a crap canter ( thought it was good at the time) until I had a lesson with Heather and she got hold of my, and showed me exactly how my hips should be moving with each phase of the stride.

Off the equisimulator and onto a horse, and I became 10 feet taller, and found I was using my body in a helpful way, rather than allowing the horse to force my body into unhelpful ways.

[cvb]

I know you are right cause I do tense up even though I felt pretty secure.

We tend to try and control the movement, and that can build tension in - well meant but not always the right result !

Which is where some of the sound advice that followed comes in - if you know what movement you *do* want, you can allow that. And you often find that you no longer need to think about "not tensing" but instead the good stuff just overtakes the unwanted stuff.

I also like the word Skib proposed of "supple" rather than soft. Soft - to me - has that kind of flabby shapeless thing to it - which is also not want is required. What you are after is rider in balance and in harmony with the horse....

[Wally]

I like the term soft hands, soft seat?????......I already got one of those! :D :D A supple seat might be better terminology :o

[suzanne7575]

I have been having problems with my canter and after readin ths thread i have realised i have been clenching...lol therefore giving the aid to slow down rather than go, so today i really concentrated on relaxing my bum and did some counting and lots of vocal encouragement and managed to keep ploddy RS pony going. I felt quite proud as all week this pony has been refusing to canter for anyone else.

[Rebecca1969]

Thank you all for the helpful advice. Just went online to purchase Heather's book. Can't wait to read it. I look forward to Saturday for my next lesson. I hope I will be more supple with Apache. I'm sure he'll appreciate it too!:) I was watching one guy ride the other day, wow was I impressed, he really did move with horse; made it look so effortless and so beautiful to watch. He was so in sync with his horse.

[Rebecca1969]

Suzanne, That's great you got your Pony going when no one else could, something to be proud of. Good to hear you had a nice ride.